It feels like Autumn is taking a bold step towards us, staking it’s claim. The Celtic calendar says the 31st July was the threshold to Lughnasadh, the start of harvest, the First Day of Autumn. We have passed the zenith of the year, the peak of the wheel -our Summer Solstice- and so are slowly edging into the darker days. In the Chinese 5 Elements calendar there are 5 major seasons, which are segmented further into 24 sub-seasons in a year. The season of Late Summer is honoured in a way that four seasons doesn’t allow. This time of the year when we get hot days of blue skies accompanied by grey squally days. This lingering of Summer that is already tinged with Autumnal mists, softly stealing in to add that magical light which Summer’s glare cannot offer us. We are yet to feel the sharper touch of Winter with its poetic seasonal titles “Cold Dew” of early October, followed by “Frosts Descent” in later October.
Late Summer is governed by the Earth element. It represents stability and slowness as we shift towards the Yin part of the year. Does this feel at odds with the return of the academic year? Whether it is a child starting school for the first time, a teenager off to university or the beginning of a new learning path as an adult the timetable that usually accompanies learning provides stability and structure. Paradoxically it can feel easier to find space for your yoga practice once there is more structure to your week. Now is an opportunity to look at your diary and see where you want to designate time for yourself. The timetable at New Energy is always evolving, maybe pre-lockdown you couldn’t find a good fit but today’s timetable may offer you just what you need. If our current timetable doesn’t quite fit with your diary demands we now have the fabulous On Demand as an alternative. Your favourite teachers and classes at a time that suits you.
Mornings and evenings belong to Autumn with it’s call to cosy up in blankets and wrap ourselves in big cardigans and scarves. A slower paced class may feel more appealing, Maddy’s Meditation series is a good introduction to the landscape of meditation with 20 minute videos from the snugness of your own home. Alternatively, you may feel the pull to ignite your inner fire with a more structured, dynamic class, and what better time for the return of Jo Hogarty! Jo’s (in)famous style of teaching gets your muscles working hard with plenty of laughs to tone the belly.
Have you been seeking out that remaining sunshine? Taking advantage of the daylight to get outside for long walks or bike rides? The leaves are yet to turn from green to gold but we sense it is not far away. Soon enough the wheel will slowly turn into undeniable Autumn and a shift into the element of Metal. Traditional Chinese Medicine teaches us to restore what we have depleted and prepare our bodies for what comes next. Seek out that Yang energy of the sun’s rays! Store them away for the Yin months ahead. Our yoga similarly prepares us for the times we cannot practice the physical yoga, whether this is a physical, emotional or time restriction. If you take a walk through a park or woodland today you will easily spot busy squirrels stashing nuts. This time of year is ideal for doing the energetic equivalent! Use your current energy levels to charge yourself up for the long, dark Winter ahead. Get yourself into the habit of carving out time for your yoga practice now while the advantage of Late Summer energy is with you. That momentum can help you flow into Autumn and enjoy all that the next season brings with it.
Written by Hannah Fletcher and published on Wednesday 16th September 2020 at 14:20
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